I have a two gallon cooler I use for most of my three gallon and smaller batches. I have a round ten gallon cooler for bigger batches. I got the ten gallon cooler because people kept saying I would want to be able to brew bigger and bigger batches. I didn't. It's fine that I have the capacity to mash a large batch but the problem is on smaller batches where the cooler is half full it loses temperature faster than a more full mash tun.

Several months back I moved from a 5-gallon round cooler to a 9-gallon rectangular Coleman Xtreme (blue :-) ) for my small batches, which are generally in the 2.5 - 3.5 gal range. The reason it works is I'm not sparging (part of a general effort to streamline the brewing day, plus I'm liking the results). But it seems for someone doing typical 5-gallon batches and sparging, 70 qt seems typical. 5-gallon feels like a squeeze.

I use a 9 gallon and it's good for 5 gallon batches up to about 1.080, but then it gets tight.

What do you guys think of the Coleman xtreme marine 70 quart cooler? I seem to be finding better deals on that one right now and is supposed to be (at least according to Coleman and some reviewers) a higher quality cooler than the Coleman xtreme.

I had used a buddies older version and loved it. Ordered the newer version thinking it wouldn't matter much. D'oh! The drain channel is not very deep and the drain is higher. I have ordered the old one and will post a side by side comparison.

The new version is not a bad cooler, it just does not work well with a bulkhead + bazooka tube setup. Nearly a gallon was left behind in the tun without tipping.

Any cooler with a drain will work great with Denny's hose braid setup.

Edit: Mixed up my links

Logged

Vote Jonathan Fuller for AHA Governing Committee. For every yes vote, Jonathan will send you a can of Heady Topper.

*** This message has not been approved by Jonathan Fuller. All claims of free Heady Topper are in jest and not to be taken seriously. But seriously, he is a great brewer that is 100% committed to helping the AHA and all homebrewers prosper.

I had used a buddies older version and loved it. Ordered the newer version thinking it wouldn't matter much. D'oh! The drain channel is not very deep and the drain is higher. I have ordered the old one and will post a side by side comparison.

The new version is not a bad cooler, it just does not work well with a bulkhead + bazooka tube setup. Nearly a gallon was left behind in the tun without tipping.

Any cooler with a drain will work great with Denny's hose braid setup.

Edit: Mixed up my links

seems like the simple solution is to tip the cooler no? I mean if you can get the old version find but if you can't I wouldn't worry to much. I tip the cooler anyway.

seems like the simple solution is to tip the cooler no? I mean if you can get the old version find but if you can't I wouldn't worry to much. I tip the cooler anyway.

I don't want to tip. That is one of the features that drove me to upgrade. That and 30lb + capacity.

Logged

Vote Jonathan Fuller for AHA Governing Committee. For every yes vote, Jonathan will send you a can of Heady Topper.

*** This message has not been approved by Jonathan Fuller. All claims of free Heady Topper are in jest and not to be taken seriously. But seriously, he is a great brewer that is 100% committed to helping the AHA and all homebrewers prosper.

seems like the simple solution is to tip the cooler no? I mean if you can get the old version find but if you can't I wouldn't worry to much. I tip the cooler anyway.

I don't want to tip. That is one of the features that drove me to upgrade. That and 30lb + capacity.

I don't mean to harp but why? mostly just curios now I must say.

Before I fill my mash tun with anything I put a little piece of wood underneath the non-drain end. Done. dead space = 0 (unless I get impatient and don't wait for it to all drain out).

Mainly because I have my tun on an Ikea nightstand or two kegs while brewing . But truly, just because I don't want to.

I used a fellow GBA'ers tun, loved it, and said to myself "I want that." I went into building this tun with a specific expectation and it wasn't met, so I am returning one for the other. If Walmart won't take it back, I'll live with it.

The newer version is a fine cooler, just not exactly what I wanted.

Logged

Vote Jonathan Fuller for AHA Governing Committee. For every yes vote, Jonathan will send you a can of Heady Topper.

*** This message has not been approved by Jonathan Fuller. All claims of free Heady Topper are in jest and not to be taken seriously. But seriously, he is a great brewer that is 100% committed to helping the AHA and all homebrewers prosper.